Film Friday | Weekly Roundup

What a very exciting week it has been for silent movies and the people who blog about them. Suddenly, everyone wants to know more. It’s seems that an Best Picture Oscar win for the The Artist has confirmed this whole silent movie thing isn’t just a flash in the pan for the public. Everyone wants in on the action, up to and including the Winnipeg public library. Today is a great day for the newly initiated to dip a toe into the wild world of silent movies, since we have both a grave robbing and marriage scandal to look back on. See it’s way more interesting than you may have thought, huh? At any rate, here’s the silent movies doings and shakings. Happy reading and happy viewing!

In the wake of The Artist Oscar win, silent film lists abound. I do like this one from the Guardian, since it includes Murnau’s The Last Laugh.

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“The Thief of Bagdad” with Douglas Fairbanks Jr – the sets are gorgeous. So is he.Top notch silent – all about the casts and sets.

Alfred Hitchcock “Legend Series” has 20 films of his -directed by- several are silent. A really easy was to watch silent. Hitchcock likes to set up the social inequalities and they are European so it’s a double whammy in your tastes. But I found him easier to study the art. There are certain things in old silent which are diffficult – one is children = can look terribly suffering under abandonment and struggles. another is woman usually have bad teeth and big features. Find a woman with soft features and she has a good film bio – the contrary is true for the big featured women – and some featured men can look like they are on the line of an evolutionary leap. I am not sounding nice – but someone needs to mention it. Children often do not fare well in these stories. LA looks absolutely dusty and undeveloped in old street scenes – with rooming houses and clapboard shacks. Very interesting indeed. You have to realize you are looking at a century ago and beyond. Be prepared.

Nosferatu 1922 – the vampire is so scary so hideous I had to stop. I enjoyed the Weber project in the late ’70’s but THIS? Not for me.

Birth of a Nation – way over the top. Has a Babylon scene – I say Why? Could not recommend that movie unless you have to – then good luck.

Good luck, indeed! Yes. Suffer through Poor LIttle Rich Girl. Crucifixion scene. Mother Mary Pickford, soft features, deserves Sainthood! Must consider all British Film = bad teeth, big features. Now, yes, we have surgery. Thankfully, even for me. But me, I want women to be with soft big features, then good luck!